System for handling cargo lighters and cargo hatch covers aboard ship



June 2, 1970 R. AuzlNs ETAL 3,515,086

SYSTEM FOR HANDLING CARGO LIGHTERS AND CARGO HATCH COVERS ABOARD SHIP Original Filed April 16, 1968 lO Sheets-Sheet 1 .Y o co\ n n N N o V j o W,

mm ooo w June 2, 1970 R. AuzlNs ETAL 3,515,086

SYSTEM FOR HANDLING CARGO LIGHTERS AND CARGO HATCH COVERS ABOARD SHIP Original Filed April 16, 1968 l0 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 A I 2 7 I I 7-45 FIG. 3

Aff-C az/ILQG: ,f1-J S/ "I7 z' mvENToRs. RAIMUNDS AuziNs, EARL H. SIG a BY ALFRED SCHNEIDER Sedan June 2, 1970 R. AuzlNs ETAL. 3,515,086

SYSTEM FOR HANDLING CARGO LIGHTERS AND CARGO HATCH COVERS ABOARD SHIP Original Filed April 16, 1968 lO Sheets-Sheet 3 June 2, 1970 R. AuzlNs ETAL 3,515,086

- SYSTEM FOR HANDLING CARGO LIGHTERS AND CARGO y HATCH COVERS ABOARD SHIP Original Filed April 16, 1968 10 Sheets-Sheet 4.

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R. AuzlNs ETAL 3,515,085 SYSTEM FOR HANDLING CARGO LIGHTERS AND CARGO HTCH COVERS ABOARD SHIP 19e June 2, 1970 l0 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed April 16,

FIG. 6

INVENTORS.

A OfEYS R E AL /3 Jr June 2, 1970 R. AuzlNs ETAL 3,515,086 SYSTEM FOR HANDLING CARGO LIGHTERS AND CARGO HATCH COVERS ABOARD SHIP Original Filed April 16, 1968 lO Sheets-Sheet 6 FIC-3.7

June- 2, 1970 R. AuzlNs ETAL SYSTEM FOR HANDLING CARGO LIGHTERS AND CABG HATCH COVERS ABOARD SHIP Original Filed April 16, 1968 lO Sheets-Sheet 7 FIG. 8

June 2, 1970 R. AuzlNs l-:TAL 3,515,086

SYSTEM FOR HANDLING CARGO LIGHTERS AND CARGO HATCH COVERS ABOARD SHIP Original Filed April 16, 1968 lO Sheets-Sheet 8 FIG. IO

INVENTORS.

H. SIGMAN 8 ED SCHNEIDER June 2, 1970 R. AUZINS ETAL SYSTEM FOR HAN HATCH COVERS ABOARD SHIP Original Filed April 16, 1968 DLING CARGO LIGHTERS AND CARGO lO Sheets-Sheet 9 June 2, 1970 original Filed April 1e, 19e

R. SYSTEM FOR HANDLI AUZINS ETAL NG CARGO LIGHTERS AND CARG ATCH COVERS ABOARD SHIP lO'Sheets-Sheet 10 United States Patent Office Patented June 2, 1970 3,515,086 SYSTEM FOR HANDLING CARGO LIGHTERS AND CARGO HATCH COVERS ABOARD SHIP Raimunds Auzins, Canton, and Earl H. Sigman, Alliance,

Ohio, and Alfred Schneider, Bremen, Germany, assignors to United Industrial Syndicate, Inc., a corporation of New York Original application Apr. 16, 1968, Ser. No. 721,821, now Patent No. 3,469,716, dated Sept. 30, 1969. Divided and this application Apr. 14, 1969, Ser. No. 841,171 Int. Cl. B63b 27/12 U.S. Cl. 114-435 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A shipboard system for transporting, guiding and positioning lighters and cargo hatch covers during vertical and horizontal travel of the lighter between a floating position outboard of a ship and a storage location in the cargo hold of a ship and vertical and horinontal travel of a cargo hatch cover bet-Ween a cargo hatch and a storage location, while the lighter or hatch cover are suspended by a hoist mechanism. The vertical and horizontal travel is accomplished by a shipboard gantry crane which travels longitudinally of a lighter carrying transport ship from a position on outboard cantilevers over a loading well at the stern of the ship, across the cargo holds with the gantry legs spanning the cargo hatches.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a division of applicants co-pending application Ser. No. 721,821 filed Apr. 16, 1968 and now Pat. No. 3,469,716.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a seagoing transport system wherein cargo is loaded on barges or lighters which are floated to a loading well at the stern of a ship at sea or at a dock and then lifted from the water and deposited in the cargo holds of the ship, one-on-top-of-the-other, by a traveling shipboard gantry crane located on the ships deck. The lighters are subsequently unloaded in the reverse manner when the ship reaches its destination. More particularly the invention relates to a system for lifting, guiding and securing lighters as well as hatch covers aboard a ship during the vertical and horizontal travel while the lighters are being placed aboard or overboard and the hatch covers are being placed over a hatch or removed from a hatch for storage during the loading operation, by the hoist mechanism of a traveling shipboard gantry crane. Among other things, the handling system includes means carried by a traveling shipboard gantry crane for restraining swinging movement of a lighter or hatch cover suspended by hoist ropes during travel of the crane along the ships deck. The system also includes means for positioning a load frame suspended by rope falls from the hoist mechanism of the gantry crane, on a floating lighter and lthereafter securely latching the load frame to the lighter for lifting and transporting. This same mechanism is used in connection with the handling of hatch covers. The system also provides for the guiding of a lighter while it is being lifted from the water to the level of the ships deck in a loading well at the stern of the ship, and while it is being lowered into the ships hold.

U,S. patent application Ser. No. 572,052 filed Aug. 12, 1966, discloses a traveling shipboard gantry crane for handling lighters in connection with the seagoing transport system to which the present invention relates and U.S. Pat. No. 3,273,527 shows a lighter carrying ship adapted for use in connection with the system. As indicated in the disclosures of the above patent and patent application, ships designed to carry lighters in accordance with the present seagoing transport system do not provide a stable platform in that varying conditions of keel trim and port or starboard list can normally be expected during loading and unloading of the lighters. Accordingly the gantry crane must be capable of operating under these conditions. Another operational requirement of the traveling shipboard gantry crane, not mentioned in the above disclosures, is the desirability and in fact the logical necessity for transporting hatch covers with the same shipboard gantry crane that handles the lighters. Thus the covers for the hatches through which the lighters are lowered to or raised from the cargo holds, must be lowered into place and carried to a storage location during loading and unloading operations by the same traveling gantry crane and consequently by the same load frame suspended from the hoist mechanism of the crane. l-When the lighter or hatch cover to be transported by the crane is lifted to a traveling position between the gantry legs at a height suicient to provide vertical clearance above any obstruction on deck (such as stacked empty lighters or stacked hatch covers), the travel longitudinally of the ship will tend to swing the lighter or hatch cover in the hoist ropes. While swinging movement could be confined by mounting stationary vertical restraining members on the gantry legs engageable with the corners of either the lighter or the load frame, the same means could not be used in connection with the hatch covers since the covers must necessarily have greater horizontal dimensions than the cargo holds through which both the lighter and the load frame must be lowered. Consequently such a stationary restraining member would block the vertical movement of a hatch cover.

Moreover while stationary restraining members on the gantry legs might prevent swinging of the lighter or hatch cover while being carried between the gantry legs, they would not prevent swinging movement of the lighter while suspended below the deck of the ship in the loading well or within a cargo hold.

Another problem is that of guiding a floating lighter into position in a loading well at the stern of the ship and locating it accurately for connection to a load frame suspended from the hoist mechanism. ,t The guiding and securing system and the gantry crane hoist mechanism of the present invention satisfy the problems indicated above and afford other features and advantages not obtainable from the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is among the objects of the invention to restrain swinging movement of a lighter or a cargo hatch cover suspended by a traveling shipboard gantry crane hoist mechanism, while the lighter is being transported between an outboard floating position and a ships cargo hold, and while the hatch cover is being either secured or removed, or transported between its cargo hatch and a storage location.

Another object is to facilitate the positioning of a floating lighter in a loading well at the stern of a lighter carrying ship in order to accurately locate it for connection to a load frame suspended from a hoist mechanism.

Still another object is to facilitate the positioning and stowage of lighters in superposed relation in the cargo hold of a ship.

These and other objects are accomplished by a shipboard system including vertical guide members secured to the ship in the loading well and adapted to guide vertical travel of the load frame and lighter within the well,

3 and vertical guide means on the gantry crane legs for restraining swinging movement of the barge and load frame while suspended between the legs of the gantry crane, the vertical guide means also being adaptable to accommodate vertical travel of a hatch cover being carried by the load frame between the gantry legs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a lighter carrying transport ship adapted for use in connection with the seagoing transport system to which the invention relates;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the transport ship of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 3--3 of FIG. 2, showing a gantry crane embodying the invention positioned on cantilever beams over a loading well at the stern of the ship and preparing to lift a floating lighter from the water;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view taken on the line 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6` is a transverse sectional view on the same scale as FIG. 3, showing the gantry crane carrying a hatch cover and positioned over a cargo hold loaded with four lighters, a hatch cover positioned over the hold and a lighter stacked on top of the hatch cover;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the traveling shipboard gantry crane in the position shown in FIG. 5 with one swell arm broken away for the purpose of illustration;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 9 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of the swell compensating mechanism shown in FIG. 8, with parts broken away and shown in section;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 10b-10 of FIG. 3 showing in particular the winch drive mechanism and rope drums;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary plan view showing the load frame of the crane of FIG. 3 and the vertical load guide members;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 12-12 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 13-13 of FIG. 1l.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring more particularly to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1 to 4 there is shown a transport ship A adapted to carry cargo laden lighters B of a gross weight of about 500 t. in accordance with the seagoing transport system to which the invention relates. The ship A has a traveling shipboard gantry crane C located for travel on spaced rails D extending longitudinally along opposite sides of the ships deck, and also out onto spaced outboard cantilever stern beams E which provide a platform on which the crane C may travel to an outboard position shown in FIG. 3, over a loading well at the stern of the ship for lifting a oating lighter B from the water. The crane C is operable to lift a lighter B out of the water and vertically upward to a position between the gantry legs and above the cargo hatches F of the ship, clear of any obstructions on deck such as empty lighters, and likewise to transport the lighter B along the ships deck to a particular cargo hatch F and then lower it into a cargo hold H for storage. The gantry crane C is also adopted to handle hatch covers G during removal and emplacement thereof.

SHIP CARGO HANDLING SYSTEM Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 it will be seen that during the lifting of lighters B from the sea, the gantry crane C is positioned on the cantilever stern beams E with its legs astride a loading well in which a floating lighter B is positioned. In order to accomplish the accurate positioning of the lighter B in the loading well, two lead-in stern guides 10 are provided, one end of each being pivotally connected by either a ball joint 11 or universal joint to the rearward ends of each stern beam E at spacings which enable the guides to engage the rearward corners of a lighter to be positioned for lifting onto the ship A. It will be seen that the stern guides 10 are movable between a stowed position shown in dashed lines in FIG. 3 and a rearwardly extending ready position also shown in dashed lines. The lateral position of the guides is restricted by means of hydraulic shock absorbers 12 (FIG. 4) which serve to absorb lateral jolts and shocks as well.

The stern guides 10 swing forward to engage a floating lighter B being moved into the loading well by a tug and then swing further inward to accurately position the lighter B in the well for connection to a load frame I carried by the hoist mechanism of the crane C.

Each stern guide 10 is operated by means of a link 13 pivotally connected intermediate the ends of the stern guide and having a pulley 14 mounted on its other end through which a winch rope 15 is reaved. One end of the rope 15 is connected to the ship at 16 and the other end extends diagonally upward to a constant tension rope drum 7 of a winch mechanism within the ships structure.

Another rope 18 having one end connected to the link 13 at 19 is used to move the guide 10 to its most rearward position shown in dashed lines in FIG. 3, the movement of the link 13 being limited by a stop 20 on the stern n guide. The rope 18 passes around a pulley 21 and thence to a rope drum driven by the same drive as the drum 17.

The stern guides are connected to one another at their outer ends by a cable 23 which helps maintain proper spacing to assure proper yguiding of the lighter. As shown in FIG. 5, the stern guides 10 have an L-shaped cross section for engaging the corners of a lighter B.

Additional guiding and restraining of a lighter B Within the loading well is provided by means of lixed vertical guides 24 located on the outer ends of the cantilever stern beams E in end to end alignment with the stern guides when in the position shown in solid lines in FIGS 3, 4 and 5, and fixed vertical guides 25 located on the stern wall of the ship A. Rubber bumpers 26 are also provided on the stern wall to absorb shock loads when a lighter heaves against the stern of the ship.

The load frame I is also guided for vertical travel when in the loaded well by the fixed vertical guides 24 and 25 and the stern guides 10 to prevent swinging of the load frame and to 7accurately position it while it is being lowered unto the lighter B for connection in a manner to be more fully described below. During the lifting movement the lighter B is restrained from swing. ing movement by the stern guides 10 and xed vertical guides 24 and 25 until it reaches the level of the gantry crane C.

Once the lighter B reaches the level of the gantry crane legs it is guided by structure supported by the legs in a manner to be described below in connection with the gantry crane itself. A lighter B is normally carried at a position within the gantry crane C at the height indicated in dashed lines in FIG. 4. In this position the lighter B will clear at least one lighter stacked on top of one of the hatch covers G.

When the crane C has moved longitudinally along the ship A while carrying the lighter B to a position over the cargo hold H in which the lighter B is to be stored, the lighter B is lowered through the hatch F and into the hold H wherein the corners of the lighter are guided by xed vertical guides 30 mounted at the corners of the hold H (FIG. 6). In the embodiment shown four lighters B may be loaded in each cargo hold H.

Each lighter B is provided with four-corner posts 31 having a tapered top 32 of pyramid shape and a matching recess in the bottom (FIG. 8). The posts 31 are of considerable strength and `are capable of supporting the weight of the lighter itself as well as three or more additional lighters stacked in superposed relation on top of one another as shown in FIG. 6.

Accordingly the lighters B are secured in place one on top of the other by means of the corner posts 31 with the tapered top 32 and matching recess 33 as shown in FIG. 6 whereby lateral movement of the barges relative to one another is restrained thus preventing shifting of the barges in the cargo hold H.

Once a cargo hold H is full the gantry crane C may be used to carry a hatch cover G (FIG. 6) to a position over the cargo hatch F, and then to lower the cover G onto the hatch F to close the hold H and secure it for sea conditions. The hatch cover G has upwardly extending posts 34 with tapered tops and recessed bottoms which match those of the posts of the lighters so that empty lighters for example may be stacked on top of the hatch covers F (FIG. 6).

When the ship is under way the gantry crane C will be secured at a predetermined position on the rails. Bumpers 35 are provided at each end of the rails D to limit the forward and rearward travel of the crane.

GANTRY CRANE CONSTRUCTION The gantry crane C is a massive structure comprising a rectangular frame 40 carried on two port legs 41 and two starboard legs 42, the legs 41 and 42 being connected to traveling carriages 43 and 44 respectively which provide for travel of the crane C on the rails D.

The frame 40 includes two transverse girders 45 which have longitudinal dimensions suicient to span the width of the cargo hatches F, and end girders 46 which extend longitudinally of the ship. An operators cab 47 is located on one of the end girders 46. The girders 45 and 46 are of plate and torsion box construction according to current practice. Referring to FIGS. 3, 4 and 8 it will be seen that-the port legs 41 are connected to the frame by a hinge which permits the legs 41 to pivot in a plane perpendicular to the direction of travel of the carriages 43 and 44 on the rails D.

The connection at each leg 41 is made by means of hinge pins 48. The purpose of the hinge connections is to permit the gantry crane to travel freely on the rails when variations occur in the lateral spacing between the rails. The carriages for the crane as well as the drive mechanism therefor are substantially of the construction disclosed in the above mentioned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 572,052.

The drive machinery is located within horizontal sills 51 and 52 extending between the lower ends of the gantry legs 41 and 42 at each side parallel to the girders 46. The sills are of enclosed box construction and are water tight to protect the drive motors reducers, etc. located within.

The hoist machinery is located in separate enclosures extending between the gantry legs 41 and 42 at each side above the sills 51 and 52. The enclosures 53 and 54 are also water tight to protect the hoist machinery and may be partially formed of aluminum to reduce weight. As shown in FIG. the enclosures extend laterally outward from the crane C and have access doors at each end.

The hoist machinery includes two rope drums 55 and 56 in each hoist machinery enclosure, 53 and 54, which are mechanically interlocked at the drum gears 57 and 58 and which are individually driven by separate motors 59 and 60 through a Worm speed reducer 61 and 62 and intermediate pinion shaft. The motors 59 and 60 are mechanically interlocked by means of a geared coupling 63 at the high-speed end and each motor 59 and 60 is provided with a solenoid operated brake 64 and 65. With this arrangement the loss of a motor on either side of the crane or one on each side simultaneously will not prevent the operation of the hoist equipment.

The power supply to the motors 59 and 60 is provided by means of a cable 66, along one side of the ship A. The cable 66 is located in a cable trough extending parallel to the adjacent rail (FIG. 8). The cable 66 winds around a cable reel 68 which is of a spool configuration and winds multilayers of cable in order to accommodate the complete range of travel of the crane C on the ship A. The reel 68 is driven by a hydraulic drive which results in a uniform cable tension.

Two hoist ropes 71 from each drum 55 and 56 extend upwardly through the enclosures 53 and 54 to one of the four corners of the frame 40 and each rope 71 wraps around a stationary sheave 72 of a swell arm 73 of the type embodying the invention of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 572,052, each swell arm 73 being adapted to pivot about bearing brackets 74 located on the frame members 46 at the top of the crane C between the gantry legs. As dened in application Ser. No. 572,052 the purpose of the swell arms 73 is to compensate for the vertical movement of a lighter B floating in the sea during the lat'ching and hoisting operations. At the end of each swell ar-m 73 is a sheave nest 75 consisting of a number of sheaves on a common pin to accommodate rope falls which extends downward to a matching sheave nest 76 on the load frame I.

GANTRY CRANE LOAD GUI-DE SYSTEM As indicated above with respect to the ships load guide system, lighters B being suspended by the hoist mechanism between the gantry legs are restrained from swinging movement which -might be expected during the longitudinaltravel of the crane C on the rails D, by means of a special system which accommodates the handling of both lighters B and hatch covers G.

According to the preferred embodiment each gantry leg 41 and 42 is provided with a guide rail 80 along which a guide carriage 81 can slide within a vertical range of movement which enables it to engage a corner of a lighter B during the limits of travel of the lighter B between the gantry legs.

Referring to FIGS. 8, l0, ll and 13 it will be seen that the guide carriages 81 have an L-shaped horizontal cross section and are of sturdy construction so as to withstand severe dynamic loads encountered during speed changes and varying conditions of list and trim.

The load frame I which is also received Within the outside corners 82 defined by the guide carriages 8l, has laterally protruding end portions which engage the corners 32 so that its swinging movement on the hoist ropes is restrained and confined. However the horizontal loads imposed by the lighter B are applied directly to the guide carriages 81 to avoid theapplication of excessive horizontal loads to the load frame I.

At the top of each guide carriage 81 is a stop in the form of a plate 83 extending over the outside corners 82. The plate 83 engages the top of the load frame I so that the load frame I will lift the guide carriages 81 as a lighter B is raised within the gantry legs. This enables the guide carriage 81 to be eifective throughout the entire vertical travel of a lighter B within the gantry legs.

As indicated above, the guide carriages 81 must be effective to restrain swinging movement of a hatch cover G as well as a lighter B being handled by the load frame I. However, the lateral dimensions of the hatch covers G must necessarily be greater than those of the lighters B in order to cover the hatches F through which the lighters B are raised and lowered. FIG. 6 illustrates the condition of the load frame I and guide carriages 81 when a hatch` cover G is being handled. Since the weight of the hatch cover G is relatively small compared to a lighter B there is no need to transmit horizontal loads caused by the handling of a hatch cover G, directly to the guide carriages 81 since they may be easily transmitted through the load frame I itself. Accordingly when the load frame is lowered to pick up a hatch cover G the downward Imovement of the guide carriages 81 is stopped when they engage the top of a hatch cover G and the load frame I then slides to the lower end of each guide carriage until it connects to the upwardly extending posts 34 on the hatch cover G.

When latching is complete the hatch cover AG may be lifted while at the same time the guide carriages 81 are raised in the condition shown in FIG. l6 and the hatch cover may be lifted to sufficient height to clear obstructions on the ships deck.

With this arrangement it will be seen that the proper handling and guiding of both lighters B and hatch covers G is accomplished with one relatively uncomplicated mechanism.

LOAD FRAME CONSTRUCTION FIGS. 11 to 13 illustrate the unique construction of the load frame I which is suspended from rope falls by the hoist mechanism as described above. The load frame I comprises starboard side and portside load beams 90 which are connected by tubular members 91 into an articulated skeletal frame arrangement. Diagonal brace cables 22 prevent collapse and twisting of the mechanism however the construction permits the opposite load beams 90 to move out of coplanar relation to one another. At each corner of the load frame I is a latch mechanism (FIGS. ll and l2) comprising a pyramid shaped recess 93 adapted to match the tapered top portions 32 of the posts 31 and 34 located at each corner of the lighters and of the hatch covers G. The tapered configuration of the posts 31 and 34 and recesses 93 in the load frame assures accurate alignment of the load frame I relative to the lighters B and hatch covers G and also permits the crane operator some margin of error in dropping the load frame into position, the recesses 93 serving as a centering and locating means.

When a post 31 or 34 is seated within a tapered recess 93 the top of the post forces a spring loaded plunger 94 upward to trip a switch arm of a limit switch 95 which actuates a latching mechanism. The tapered end 32 of each post 31 and 34 is provided with a horizontal closed slot 96 of rectangular cross section which is adapted to receive a rectangular latch bolt 97. The latch bolt 97 is operated by a hydraulic cylinder 98 which is actuated upon tripping of the limit switch 95.

Because the load frame I is frequently dropped upon a lighter B or hatch cover lG with considerable impact, hydraulic shock absorbers 99 are provided at each corner of the load frame I on top of the load beams 90. The shock absorbers 99 are vertically mounted and have a piston 100 which extends downwardly through the load beam 90.

OPERATION During the loading of cargo laden lighters on a lighter carrying transport ship A the traveling gantry crane C is initially positioned on the cantilever stern beams E so that it overlies the loading well at the stern of the ship as shown in FIG. 3. Initially the stern guides are moved to their rearwardmost position shown in dashed lines in FIG. 3 with the necessary lifting force being applied through the rope 18 by means of the rope drum 22. The floating lighter B to be lifted aboard is pushed into position within the loading well by a tug after which the stern beams 10 are moved to their vertical positions shown in solid lines by the rope Wound on the rope drum 17. As the stern fbeams'10 engage the corners of the lighter B they force the lighter B up against the stern wall of the ship so that the corners are conned between the fixed vertical `guide members 25.

4During this positioning operation the hoist mechanism of the crane C will normally have been operating to lower the load frame I from its position between the gantry legs to a latching position within the loading well. The downward movement of the load frame I is initially guided by the guide carriers 81 which slide along the vertical rails 80 secured to each gantry leg. As the load frame I drops below the level of the ships deck it is 8 guided by the fixed vertical guides 24 secured to the nsides of the cantilever stern beams E within the loading Well and ultimately by the stern guides 10 and the fixed vertical guides 25.

The recesses 93 at the corners of the load frame I drop over the tapered tops 32 of the corner posts 31 and thus accurately position the load frame I for latching. The tapered tops 32 push the plunger 914 upward to actuate the limit switch 95 which in turn energizes the control circuit for the hydraulic cylinders 98 which force the latch bolts 97 through the slots 96 in the tapered tops 32 (FIG. 12). The initial shock of the load frame I falling on the lighter B is dampened by the shock absorbers 99.

After the latching is complete the winch motors 59 and `60 are operated to turn the rope drums 55 and 56y and begin the lifting movement. Any tossing of the lighter B in the loading Iwell due to sea swell during the initial lifting is compensated for by the swell arms 73 which are able to swing upward and maintain tension in the hoist ropes 71. During normal lifting the swell arms 73 are pulled down to their horizontal position shown in solid lines in FIG. 4.

Lifting movement of the lighter B is initially guided by the stern guides 10 and the xed vertical guides 25. However, when the lighter B reaches a position between the outboard cantilever beams E it is guided and swinging movement thereof is restrained by the xed vertical guide members 24 secured to the insides of the cantilever beams E within the loading well. As the lighter B is raised to a position between the gantry legs 41 and 42, the corners of the load frame I and the lighter B move upward within the confines of the guide carriages 81 which are initially positioned as shown in solid lines in FIG. 4. Thus any lateral loads caused by a tendency of the lighter B to swing in the hoist ropes 71 or by listing or roll of the ship A, are transmitted directly ot the gantry legs 41 and 42 through the guide carriages 81 which engage the corners of the lighter B. At the conclusion of the lifting operation the lighter B is positioned as shown in dashed lines in FIG. 4, the guide carriages 81 having been lifted along with the load frame I and the lighter B. At this height the lighter B is spaced sufficiently above the ships deck to clear at least one empty lighter B stored on top of a hatch cover G, or a group of hatch covers G stacked on top of one another.

With the lighter B in this position, the gantry crane C is propelled longitudinally of the ship along the rails D toward the bow of the ship to a position over the open'cargo hatch F through which the lighter B is to be lowered. The hatch cover G will have been previously removed by the gantry crane B in a manner to be described below. At this time the gantry crane is braked to a stop and the brakes are locked to prevent movement on the rails. The winch motors 59 and 60` are then operated in a reverse direction to lower the lighter B into the hold H to a storage position either at the bottom of the hold H or on top of another lighter B. During the lowering, swinging movement of the lighter B and the load frame I is restrained by the guide carriages 81 until the guide carriages reach the lower limits of their vertical travel. After the lighter B drops below the guide carriages 81 in their lowermost position, swinging movement of the lighter B is restrained by the fixed vertical guides 30 mounted within the hold H of the ship. Where a lighter B is to be positioned over another lighter in the hold H, the recesses 33 receive the tapered tops 32 of the posts 31 of the lighter B below thus accurately aligning and positioning the lighter B for storage. With the lighter thus positioned, the crane operator operates the hydraulic control system of the load frame I to release the latch bolts 97 from the slots 96 and then operates the hoist motors 59 and 60 to raise the load frame I to its uppermost position between the gantry legs 41 and 42.

When a hold H is fully loaded with 4 lighters as is usually the case, the crane C is propelled along the rails D to a position over a hatch cover G for the cargo hatch F. The load frame I is then lowered into position over the hatch cover G and finally dropped into a position with the tapered tops of the hatch cover posts 34 received within the recesses 93 of the load frame I in the same manner described with respect to the connection of the load frame I to the lighters B. When the load frame I is properly latched to the hatch cover G the hoist mechanism is again operated to lift the hatch cover G upward between the gantry legs.

As indicated in FIG. 6 the corners of the hatch cover G engaged the bottoms of the load guides 81 so that the load guides 81 are lifted by the hatch cover G rather than by the corners of the load frame I. Swinging movement of the hatch cover G is restrained through the engagement of the guide carriages 81 with the load rframe I.

When the gantry crane C reaches a position over the cargo hatch F on which the hatch cover G is to be placed, the winch mechanism is operated again to lower the hatch cover G into position. The removal of the hatch cover G and storage thereof durin-g the loading operation is accomplished in the reverse manner.

It will be apparent that a similar operating sequence 4may be used to store empty lighters B on top of the emplaced hatch covers as shown in FIG. 6. During the unloading operation in which the lighters B are returned to a floating position in the loading well outboard of the ship, the operation is just the reverse with the stern guides 10 being used to guide the lowering of the lighter B into the water.

While the invention has been shown and described with reference to specific embodiments thereof, this is intended only for the purpose of illustration rather than limitation and other variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art within the intended spirit and scope of the invention as herein specifically illus- -trated and described. Therefore the patent is not to be limited in scope and effect to the preferred forms illustrated and described herein nor in any other way that is inconsistent with the progress by which the art has been advanced by the invention.

We claim:

1. In a system for transporting lighters and cargo hatch covers aboard a ship, the lighters being transported between a lfloating position in a loading Well adjacent the stern wall of the ship below two spaced parallel cantilever beams at the stern, and a storage location aboard the ship and the system employing a gantry crane having a hoist mechanism with a load frame and being adapted for longitudinal travel on the ship between a forward position and an aft position on the cantilever beams with its legs astride the loading well, the improvement which comprises: in combination first guide means pivotally carried by said cantilever beams for engaging and positioning a lighter in said well and holding the lighter against swinging movement relative to said crane during vertical movement of said frame and lighter, and second guide means carried by said gantry crane for restraining said load frame and lighter from swinging movement relative to said crane when said hoist mechanism raises said lighter above said beams.

2. In a lighter carrying cargo ship whereon lighters are transported between a floating position in a loading well adjacent the stern wall of the ship and below two spaced parallel cantilever beams at the stern of the ship, and a storage location aboard the ship by means of a traveling gantry crane having a hoist mechanism and being adapted for travel on the ship between a forward position and an aft position on the cantilever beams with its legs astride the loading well, the improvement which comprises a stern guide suspended from the rearward end of each cantilever beam for fore and aft pivotal movement, said stern guides being spaced to receive therebetween adjacent corners of a lighter located in said loading well, means for pivoting said stern guides between a raised rearwardlyextending lighter-receiving position and a lowered vertical position, whereby pivotal movement of said stern guides from their raised position to their vertical position while a floating lighter is approximately located in said loading well serves to urge said lighter into a predetermined position in said well for connection to said hoist mechanism, said stern guides when in their vertical position being closely adjacent the rearward corners of said lighter to restrain swinging movement thereof during vertical movement of said lighter in said well.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said stern guides are suspended from said cantilever beams by a universal connection to accommodate limited lateral pivotal movement as well as fore and aft pivotal movement of said stern guides.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 including shock absorbers for cushioning lateral loads imposed upon said stern guides.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said means for pivoting said stern guides comprises cables connected intermediate the ends of said guides and driven by winch mechanism on said ship. k

`6. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said stern guides are pivotable to a raised forwardly extending position wherein they are secured during operation of the ship at sea.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS TRYGVE M. BLrX, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 214--15 

